Leadership

We believe that no one man can model the leadership of Christ over his flock, nor should one man bear that burden. Each elder is gifted with unique gifts to equip the saints for ministry (which is ministry that even pastors need to be served by) and so it is necessary for shared leadership as pastors guiding the congregation. With a plurality of elders, the pastors of Redemption City Church alternate preaching with the full team of elders implementing the vision through prayer, teaching, and pastoral care. Deacons are qualified men and women who are called by the elders and the church to take specific responsibility and represent the church on tasks which have pulled the elders away from their primary responsibility of teaching, preaching, praying, and shepherding.

Elders

Jacob Tonak

Jacob was raised in Minnesota, while Rachel, his wife, grew up in California. Since they were married in 2005, their desire has been to serve Christ in the local church.

In 2012, Jacob and Rachel moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where Jacob earned a M. Div. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. God gave Jacob and Rachel the vision of coming back to Rochester to plant a church in the fall of 2015, and is now interning with the North American Mission Board. Currently, Rachel is working as a cardiac surgery and transplant nurse at the Mayo Clinic. Jacob and Rachel have five children: Judah, Emma (passed), Blythe, Corbin, and Ellis. They are excited to be a part of what God is doing in the lives of many throughout Rochester.

Adam Pohlman

Adam grew up in southern Minnesota where he met his wife of 11 years, went to college, and worked for several years. By his firm kindness, God humbled this young man through the gospel. God’s majesty and power grew in his eyes while his own achievements paled in comparison.

Adam graduated from Minnesota State University in Mankato, MN becoming a civil engineer, working in that field for 12 years before becoming a pastor. He married Molly in 2005 and together they have four children: Grace, Daisy, Titus, and Olivia. In 2012 he and his family made the leap to pursue ministry by moving to Minneapolis to attend Bethlehem College and Seminary.

Adam's heart is to unfold the beauty of God's story in the Bible and show how God weaves his story into our lives. He especially has a heart for families to be the most beautiful display of gospel intimacy and joy to the world.

Deacons

Justin Opperman - Deacon of Facilities

Justin manages the use and set-up of our Sunday morning worship facility (currently our relationship with John Adams Middle School) and is always on the lookout for a more permanent facility to be our base of ministry operations.

Justin is husband to Brenda, Dad to five kids, and facilities design engineer at Mayo Clinic. He has incredible attention to detail for all things mechanical and theological doing everything he can to help steward the resources of Redemption City Church.

Kurtis has a heart to train the church to sing meaningful words that teach truth, exalt Christ, and emphasize the voices of the saints in easy to learn songs that fit the heart language of everyone at Redemption. Kurtis and his wife Aubrey recently welcomed a daughter into the world. Together they operate Windrose Photography and Kurtis is the director of communications for Missio Nexus.

Mike Exsted - Deacon of Community Groups

Mike trains community group leaders and facilitates the growth and multiplication of our community group efforts.

Mike has a heart to see families connected to the church family that our gifts may intersect in all parts of our lives. He and his wife Cassandra have three children while waiting to adopt a fourth. Mike works at Mayo Clinic as a lab technician.